Incompas Sees ATC Lagging; NTCA Says Mobile Not Enough; CTIA Sees Plentiful Wireless Broadband

Fixed and mobile broadband availability isn't sufficient to meet a statutory mandate for "reasonable and timely" deployment of advanced telecom capability (ATC) to all Americans, Incompas commented in docket 17-199 on an FCC notice of inquiry. The Free State Foundation said broadband-like ATC deployment "clearly" satisfies Telecom Act Section 706 and said the previous FCC's refusal to make an affirmative finding "was a case of Alice-in-Wonderlandish 'Sentence First-Verdict Afterwards.'" CTIA, one of several parties whose comments were posted late Thursday, issued a statement saying that "by any measure, mobile wireless broadband deployment is ‘reasonable and timely.'" Incompas said broadband networks and services must be "physically available and affordable" pursuant to Section 706, and found it "telling" the FCC is focused on closing the digital divide. "Fixed and mobile broadband networks do not reach every American, and competition is still considerably lacking for fixed (wireline) broadband networks for residential consumers, as well as businesses who rely on dedicated broadband service," the group said. It said the FCC shouldn't find Section 706 goals have been met and should address barriers, including by improving access to poles, rights of way and multitenant buildings. The Benton Foundation said it's "certain" broadband is "not being deployed to all Americans in a reasonable and timely fashion," citing service shortcomings in poorer, minority and rural communities. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel Wednesday objected to the possibility the FCC could effectively lower its ATC speed benchmark by finding 10/1 Mbps mobile service is sufficient to satisfy the statutory mandate (see 1709200042). The agency's direction is "particularly troubling" for rural Americans, said NTCA, which believes mobile broadband "is simply not a substitute for a robust, high-quality fixed wireline connection that so many urban consumers take for granted." The Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable urged the FCC to evaluate availability of both fixed and mobile broadband, not one or the other, and affordability of service. The Education and Library Networks Coalition asked the FCC to retain E-rate program goals of helping schools and libraries gain access to 100 Mbps near term and 1 Gbps long term.